ELLESMERE Library’s teenage volunteers have been busy touring local primary schools to encourage younger children to take up the national Summer Reading Challenge.

Evie Edwards, Charlotte Hynes, John Gordon and Kloe Bailey have helped lead school assemblies at Ellesmere, Cockshutt, Criftins and Welshampton schools to get the message across to more than 600 children.

The project run by the Reading Agency and funded by Arts Council England encourages children aged four to 12 to set themselves a challenge by reading six books during the summer holidays.

Those taking part receive special rewards each time they finish a book and everyone who completes the challenge receives a medal and a certificate.

The aim is to help prevent the summer reading ‘dip’ by motivating youngsters to keep building up their reading skills and confidence.

Library manager Sheila Williams said: “I was thrilled when Evie asked if the volunteers could accompany us and tell the children about the great selection of books, e-books and e-audio books on offer at the library and online.

“The school visits really make a difference.

"Not only do the children enjoy seeing myself and my library assistants Sally and Jean at their school, we get a chance to see the wonderful spaces where they they learn and develop with their teachers.

"The schools always makes us so welcome and this time even more so, as our teenagers were former pupils at Ellesmere, Criftins and Welshampton schools, and the teachers were very proud to see how well they have progressed when they watched their presentations.”

Children can sign up for the challenge by visiting the library in at Ellesmere’s Our Space community centre between 9am and 5pm on Tuesdays and Fridays and 9am and 1.30pm on Saturdays.